Igor Strelkov on Zelensky’s demand to meet with Putin in Istanbul (machine translated)
In fact, Zelensky made a very clever move, putting Moscow in a very disadvantageous position. Both decisions that could be taken (at least from Zelensky’s point of view, and from any logical point of view) are losing for Moscow.
If Putin agrees to direct negotiations with Zelensky, then a barrage of mockery begins in the West, since Putin has so many times personally and through his close people declared Zelensky’s illegitimacy, that he has no one to negotiate with, that it is quite difficult for him to win back on this issue. In fact, his meeting with Zelensky is a recognition of Zelensky’s complete legitimacy and ability to act, that is, a loss.
Not to mention that Putin will in fact thus recognize Ukraine as a warring country, and it will be extremely difficult for him to communicate with Zelensky in all respects. Because Zelensky will ask him such questions during communication, including publicly, that our president will simply not be able to answer without losing face and without losing his position, without harming Russia’s negotiations. That is, all meetings with Zelensky are a disaster – both for Vladimir Vladimirovich personally and for the negotiating positions of the Russian Federation. It is unacceptable.
However , not meeting will not improve the situation in the Russian Federation either, since all the world’s media and not only the media will perceive this as a reason to accuse Russia of having proposed negotiations and of disrupting them. With all the corresponding conclusions, including in the area of sanctions, in the area of support for Ukraine, in the area of counteracting Russia, etc., etc.
That is, wherever you look, it’s a wedge, a defeat everywhere. As we have said many times, zugzwang has long been established in our “party” in Ukraine, when any move only worsens the position. The fact is that our opponent is by no means stupid, including Zelensky himself and his advisers. If fools were fighting against us on that side, we probably would have won long ago, but that is not even close.
What is needed are truly completely new, fundamentally different steps, far beyond the traditional Kremlin diplomacy, politics, military management, and so on, and so forth, and so forth. Steps that will be truly asymmetrical and unexpected for Russia’s “partners” in the West, and in Ukraine, and in general.
What is needed is truly new, innovative actions that do not fit into the framework of traditional Kremlin diplomacy (“neither here nor there, we’ll wait it out, sit it out, it will somehow resolve itself” – these are its main characteristics).
I recently joked here in a conversation with my fellow prisoners that the best thing for the Kremlin would be to send me to negotiate. That would be top-level trolling , about the same as and even surpassing Zelensky. Of course, that won’t be done, although I would have something to say to Zelensky to make him blush and run away.
Well, these are the kind of moves that are needed now to get out of the most severe systemic crisis we find ourselves in on the eve of military defeat. But, unfortunately, there is no one to expect this from.
Therefore, we will observe Moscow’s decision. And I bet three to one that Putin will not go to the meeting with Zelensky. And I allow one chance, that is, a quarter of the options, because Vladimir Vladimirovich just met with Chairman Xi, and I do not know what Xi told him. If Xi presented Vladimir Vladimirovich with the fact that the conflict must be ended at any cost, including the cost of a meeting with Zelensky with a complete loss of face, then perhaps the meeting will take place. And it will not bring anything good, including peace.
Now any actions aimed at concessions to Ukraine and Western pressure will only lead to a sharp increase in demands from Ukraine and the West . And stopping on this path of concessions will be much more difficult than at the moment (if at all possible).
